The invention relates to openings for bags, and particularly to multiwall bags having a pinched closeable end and an opposite closed or open end. The invention is directed to bags of this type having either a flat tube style or with gussets. This type of bag is known in the industry as a pinched bottom open mouth (PBOM) bag. The invention is more particularly directed to providing an easy opening and pour spout-forming manually openable feature at the pinched closed end of the bag. The invention relates to the PBOM type of bag for use in containing granulated or powdered products, such as chemicals, animal feed, dry milk, and other pourable types of products.
The invention is further related to providing an easy opening tab assembly at the pinched closure which allows multiwall bag making machines to incorporate the tab assembly during machine production of the bags, wherein the tab assembly is positioned to be retained by the pinched closure to lie flat against the bag when formed.
The present invention is especially directed to use with gusseted multiwall PBOM bags for providing an easy opening, peelable tab assembly permitting the consumer to (1) quickly open a filled and sealed bag and (2) contemporaneously form an easy pouring spout for dispensing the product therein. The invention overcomes deficiencies in the prior art in regard to the manufacturing of such bags, which typically require the unsanitary inclusion of a tear open tab located at least partially inside the bag and folded with the pinched closure between the walls of the bag. Therefore, a goal of the invention is to provide such a tear opening tab assembly that places any adhesive bonding of the tab assembly safely away from the inner contents of the bag, which is of particular concern when a comestible product is within the bag, such as dry milk powder and other flowable granulated type of food materials.
The invention is further aimed at providing a tab assembly that is peelable to open the bag and form a pour spout, which may optionally have a recloseable feature that can be manufactured in a manner whereby the peelable opening of the tab assembly remains flush on the face of the bag during the filling, shipping and handling of the bag so as not to be inadvertently caught on machine or handling equipment, which could otherwise rip it off and degrade the bag. This achievement also allows bags to be stacked flat, such as on a pallet, and then easily loaded and unloaded from a truck or the like.
It is also an objective of the invention to provide a tab assembly having a peelable opening tab member that can be manually lifted to tear open the plies of one wall of the bag, but allowing the bag plies of the other wall of the bag to remain intact. It is further a goal of the invention to provide such a tab assembly that may be located either adjacent a corner of the pinched closure or between the corners.